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Complex Quadrature LFOs with Ornament & Crime

Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at a few of the different modes in Ornament & Crime, a complex and multi-functional DIY module designed by a team from all over the world. In addition to the handy Euclidean Rhythm functions, chord-generators and odd modulation sources, the module can generate quadrature LFOs with subtle and dramatic controls over the relationship of each oscillator.

Quadrature LFOs are not the most common type of module in Eurorack. Generally, four low frequency oscillators of the same shape and frequency are phase shifted by 90, 180 and 270 degrees from the first LFO. This atypical design is rarely seen in hardware synthesizers.

What makes the Quadraturia mode in Ornament & Crime unique is the way it controls the relationship between the 4 LFOs. Each of the four are routed to outputs A, B, C and D. The 4 LFO shapes can be morphed and shifted using the shape spread option, to create immediately more complex combinations of shapes, altering the interplay between the outputs. The phase shift amount between the 4 shapes can also be changed, spreading to the full, traditional 90 degree spread.

The shapes can also be frequency shifted, resulting in rhythmic relationships between the frequencies of the waves. Three additional menu options allow for clock division of LFOs B, C and D, relative to the frequency of LFO A.

The modulation sources can also phase modulate each other, revealing much more distorted waveshapes when combined with the wave shape spread. On top of all of these different ways to alter and shift the four channels, the addition of XOR logic operations between LFO A and the other three offers even more dramatic and destructive wave manipulation.

Of course, as we’ve seen, modulating these already complex parameters is one of the areas in which Ornament & Crime excels. The trigger inputs 1 and 2 can reset and freeze the LFOs respectively, while the CV inputs can modulate the frequency, wave shape, shape spread and phase modulation amount.

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